More Casino Games to Play

Craps: If you play only the Pass Line, and take free odds, the house advantage is a puny. 8% (eight-tenths of none percent). It’s not insignificant, because it still gradually erodes you bankroll. But, this is a good as it’s going to get in a casino for you without a lot of study and special knowledge. It gives you a decent prospect for staying alive.

However, if you make the bets all over the table – craps, hard way bets, placing the 4 and 10, etc. The house Vig improves.

This is a good game to play. If you know!!

Blackjack:This is the game to play if you are perfect. As I said earlier, not pretty good, but perfect. The card counter can get as much as a 2% edge on the casino.

If you do not know and practice Basic Strategy on every hand, you could be giving up a 30% to 40% advantage to the casino. This is the game where the house cleans up on the novice player.

The expert Blackjack player? The house fears him.

If you’re not a card counter, but play Basic Strategy expertly and follow each an every move as taught in this book, you have reduced the Vig to only about 1.5%.

If you are not a perfect Blackjack player, don’t play at all. It is impossible to beat the house in the long run. It’s hard enough for the expert. You can’t have the edge if your knowledge of the same is limited?

Baccarat: A good game. The percentage against you is only 1.38% if you bet PLAYER and 1.17% against you if you bet BANK. That is without knowing anything about the game. It is impossible to make a mistake. The rules of drawing cards are predetermined. But (and this is s big but) you must learn how to manage your money. Money management is covered in later chapters.

Now you know what Vigorish is. Be prepared to deal with it. And stay away from games that have high Vigs.

Have you ever heard the term Vigorish, or Vig? You know what it means? It’s the lousy edge against you. It’s the juice which keeps the house operating.

If you go to a casino, or a racetrack, or even when calling your local bookie, it is this Vig that eats away at your bankroll. The bigger the Vig you give up, the quicker you will be eliminated from a game.

For example, at the racetrack (and depending upon the State you’re in), an average of 18.5% is taken from every bet pool (Win, Place, Show, Daily Doubles, Exactas, etc.) and never paid out to winning ticket holders. This is legally absconded with by the state and federal governments for taxes. Plus, the track also gets a share known as breakage. When the pie is divided, bettors share about an 81-cent slice for each dollar wagered.

That is some chunk to take off the top. The same is true whenever you play in a “house “ game – the Vig pays for services you get: Lights, drinks, entertainment, etc. Anything that costs the house money.

Obviously, you want to play in games where the Vig is low. Understanding all taxes and draws that come out of a game is not necessary. All you must know is which games provide the least built-in drain on your bankroll.